Vegetables picked from the Avondale farm and destined for the Cha Bella restaurant. Trinity Church is hosting a 40-day program exploring how believers can support locally produced food and products during the Lenten season. (Steve Bisson/Savannah Morning News file photo)

With the beginning of Lent this week, some Christians will fast, give up pleasures, donate to charity or volunteer in their communities.

The Rev. Enoch Hendry offers another way to observe Jesus' 40-day withdrawal into the wilderness: Buy local.

Starting Tuesday, the United Methodist minister will lead two six-week courses that will challenge participants to "live locally in Lent."

That means the groups will strive to shop at locally owned businesses, seek out locally made products and eat locally produced food whenever possible.

The challenge serves as an alternative "Lenten discipline" to the traditional fasting or giving up of sweets practiced by some Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant devotees during the period of penance leading up to Easter.

The Lenten season began Wednesday.

"Living more simply would be a better way, I think, to understand Lent as this time of preparation than choosing something that's the easiest thing I can give up," said Hendry, pastor of Trinity Church.

But Hendry also expects the effort to be "a lot of fun."

Tailored shopping has benefits

Church member Carol Abercrombie is on board for the challenge.

"It's hard when you really think about it," said Abercrombie, an engineer with the Savannah District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"I feel kind of guilty talking about it because, I'm as materialistic as anybody. But, I think it's a good idea."

Abercrombie has a bit of a head start.

She already buys local shrimp and eats the meat of deer hunted and killed by her husband.

And since her son began working on an organic farm in north Georgia, she's learned a little about that industry.

For the Living Locally challenge, she'll try to do more of her shopping on Broughton Street, she said.

But she's not yet sure where to go for food and groceries.

Matthew Roher plans to offer some suggestions.

As chef and owner of Cha Bella restaurant and Earth to Table Catering, Roher runs a delivery service that brings locally grown produce by the box-loads to the front doors of about 250 subscribers.

Roher buys mainly from four local organic farms, including his own two-acre farm in East Savannah, an organic garden at Bethesda Home for Boys, from Harvest Lake Farm on Hampton Island and from Walker Organic Farms in Sylvania.

"A lot of the produce we use is from heirloom seeds, basically the strain of vegetable that was used way back in the day. It hasn't been monkeyed with on a genetic level."

Buying from local farms contributes to better personal health, as well as the economic health of the community, he said.

Buy Local Savannah, an organization that promotes independent local businesses, claims that shopping in a local business district is better for the environment because it involves "less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint."

The group also asserts that local businesses create higher-paying jobs and reinvest more tax dollars locally than franchise companies do.

"What (Hendry) is doing is so cool," said Paula Kreissler, president of Buy Local Savannah.

"The fact that he's just very specifically saying, 'Let's keep this local,' it means he has a very clear understanding of the support his congregation can lend our community."

Hendry said he plans to do more shopping at locally owned grocery stores such as Polk's Fresh Market or Red and White Food Store.

But hopes participants in the "Living Locally in Lent" sessions bring other ideas.

Hendry said the intent isn't to boycott businesses that don't fit within the Living Locally concept.

No one will be scorned if they're spotted coming out of a Walmart.

"We're not going to get that specific with it," he said.

Participation in one of Trinity's two weekly sessions is open to the public, but space is limited.

Hendry hopes others seeking a way to observe Lent harvest his idea.

"The idea of living locally during Lent just seemed to make really good sense," he said.

Living Locally in LentWhat: The Rev. Enoch Hendry leads a six-week "Lenten discipline" challenging participants to buy, eat and "live locally" for 40 days.When: 5-6 p.m. Tuesday session or 12:10-1 p.m. Wednesday sessionWhere: Trinity Church, 225 W. President St.Details: Free and open to the public; however, registration is requested by noon Monday by calling 233-4766 or e-mailing trinityumcsav@bellsouth.net.